Paper Crown
by GallyandBlack
Summary: In a world of pain, all she wanted was relief. In a world of darkness, all she wanted was a light. It took a king to teach a peasant about both. {Mikoto/OC}
1. Chapter 1

**So this isn't technically the first K fic I published but it is the first one I wrote, or began to write. I love this, it just flows for me and I love writing it. I absolutely love this OC and while she might not seem that interesting now, she's going to completely change the longer this story goes and I'm hoping to fully make you all fall in love with her as much as I have! So please enjoy and feel free to leave a review with any feedback! I really appreciate them and I promise I'll always read all of them and respond to any questions if you leave them! Oh and happy new year everyone! I hope that 2014 brings good fortune to you all!**

The rainy season in Shizume city was a rather dreary time. The air always seemed to have a heavy wetness to it, paired with the normal humidity of the time of year it almost seemed solid when breathed in.

Currently, rain was coming down in sheets outside the window of the bar. Izumo watched it for a moment before going back to polishing the glass he was holding.

"Ne, Kusanagi-san," the mentioned man turned to look at the slightly younger boy, "when was the last time it rained this hard?"

Izumo just shrugged so Tatara turned his attention to the lightly dozing man to his left, "King? When do you think the last time was?"

Mikoto just grunted, not really even bothering to open his eyes.

"Ha! I win!"

"Son of a bitch!"

"You're a god damned cheater!"

"Am not!"

The three looked at the ensuing argument over Yata's poker hand with faces ranging from amused to mildly irritated.

"This is the third time in a row you've won! Of course you're cheating!"

"I am not! It not my fault you guys suck at this!"

"Ah those guys; always arguing about something," Tatara chuckled.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash followed by a clap of thunder that seemed to rattle the entire building.

"I'll just say, I feel bad for anyone caught out in this," Izumo mumbled.

And, unfortunately, someone was.

'_Run, run, run!' _she chanted to herself as she weaved her way through the alley.

Her hair was sticking to her face and making her eyes sting, and her lungs felt like they were going to burst any second. The coppery taste of blood was in her mouth but Umeko wasn't stupid enough to stop and try to figure out why she was wheezing up blood. Not when she had to run like she did now.

Seeing another alley coming up to her right, she threw her weight to the side to make it around the corner without falling on the wet ground. Still sprinting, she looked for more side alleys to duck into but felt panic wash over her when she saw that the only way out was the opening to the street.

'_No, no, no!'_

Open space meant nowhere to hide- nowhere to hide meant that he'd catch her.

Blasting out into the open, Umeko skidded to a halt, looking wildly both ways, praying that she'd see _anything _through this goddamn rain.

"Umeko!"

Gasping, she whirled around to see a large body hurtling down the alley.

Looking franticly around again, she was about ready to weep when she saw the small light in the distance.

Taking off again, she pushed herself to go faster and faster as the sound of footsteps got closer and closer.

She was getting nearer to the light. It was a window, and she could see people moving around inside. Her mind flashed a warning of _'Don't go in! Whatever you do don't go in!'_, but she was so tired, and she knew he was right behind her.

Throwing herself up the steps, Umeko grabbed the handle and tripped inside.

Yata had Bandou by the collar by the time the door burst open and a small body slammed into the ground.

Izumo jumped, "What the hell-"

"Oi!" a voice called.

The mass turned over with a gasp as horrified eyes shot to the still open door. The tiny girl had barely opened her mouth to scream when a figure flew in and lunged.

The man grabbed her by the hair with one hand and with the other smashed a fist into her face. The girl flew back, all the members of HOMRA watching in horror and confusion as her head cracked against the ground and she stopped moving.

A growl brought all their attention back to the fuming man as he made to jump at her again.

But before he could get to her a hand grabbed the back of his shirt and threw him back.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Yata cried as he loomed over him.

"Get out of my way you fucking brat!" he howled as he tried to get back up. But by now Kamamoto and Shouhei had reached his side and with some effort were able to get him pinned down.

"Get off of me; let me at the bitch! Get off!"

Loading back, Yata threw all of his weight into his fist as he delivered a solid blow to the head. The man fell to the ground with a loud 'thud'.

"Che, bastard," he mumbled.

"She's got a pulse."

Everyone looked towards the bar, where Tatara had kneeled next to the girl's body and had a light hand on the side of her neck.

"It's faint but it's still there."

Looking closer he started to notice how her face was covered in bruises, and how her one shoulder seemed to be hanging funny.

"Shit," Izumo cursed as he noticed the blood pooling out from her head.

Confused looks were passed between the members as they tried to figure out what had just happened. Glances were thrown between the beaten body of the girl and the large man slumped on the ground, before looking back at each other.

Izumo rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around his bar. If this wasn't proof that life in HOMRA was never dull, he didn't know what was.

When Umeko woke up, she could hear voices.

'_Am I in the hospital again?'_ she wondered. No, the hospital beds weren't nearly as comfortable as this, and hospitals didn't smell like wood and cigarette smoke.

Cracking one eye open, she saw that she was laying on a couch and there were two people sitting at a bar a few feet away from her.

The events of last night all came rushing back to her and she had to bite down hard on her tongue to keep from screaming. She was in the bar she ran into last night, and she had passed out around all these strangers.

She cracked her eye open again when she heard the pair move and watched as they left the bar and disappeared up a flight of stairs to the left.

As soon as she was sure they wouldn't hear her, she sat up only to hiss at the wave of pain that went through her body. Doing a quick survey she concluded that her shoulder had been dislocated and these people had popped it back in, and from the bandage around her head that she had split her head open when she hit the ground.

Letting out a quiet curse she swung her legs over and placed her feet on the ground. Putting bits of pressure on each foot, she sighed in relief when she found that nothing had been torn or broken. Standing up she padded to the door, giving one last look over her shoulder to make sure no one had come back. She sent the strangers a silent thanks has she twisted the nob but to her horror she realized that it was locked.

"Shit!" she hissed.

Looking around for other ways out her eyes locked on the window above the couch she had been on. Running over she reached up and undid the locks on top of the glass. Pushing it open she was hit by a gust of fresh air that sent a pleasant shiver through her. She sighed and shut her eyes as the breeze washed over her, not quite letting herself relax but releasing a bit of the tension in her shoulders.

"Hey what are you doing?"

Whipping her head right, Umeko jumped when she saw the two men from earlier standing there, this time with a third man.

He was taller than the blond one but slightly shorter then the one wearing glasses. His hair was a fiery red color and his eyes were a golden amber she had never seen before. His face was emotionless but his eyes had a smoldering look that left her breathless. She had almost forgotten what she was doing until her attention snapped to the shorter one, who had started to take a step towards her.

Without looking back (or down to see how far she was actually jumping) Umeko threw herself out the window. The fall (thankfully) wasn't more than a few feet and instantly she was scrambling up and taking off towards the street. If she could just get back to the alleys they'd never find her…

Suddenly two sets of arms grabbed her from either side and stopped her momentum in one solid tug. She couldn't help the yelp she gave as they pulled on her still tender shoulder and she heard a curse and a rushed apology. Fortunately, her small cry had distracted both enough for them to loosen their hold slightly, just enough that with a strong kick off Umeko was able to tear herself out of their grip and continue on her mad dash away from wherever and whoever they had been.

"It's not very polite to rush out without thanking the people who helped you."

_That voice._ Umeko turned her head and saw the red haired man from earlier leaning against the wall of the bar she'd been in, a cigarette held loosely between his lips.

Unfortunately, that two or three second of distraction had been enough for her to manage to trip over her own feet and slam into the ground. Again.

And, if the stinging feeling in her left knee was anything to go by, she had managed to cut that open as well.

"Hey! Are you alright?"

'_No not more of them!' _panic was starting to rush through her and she could feel her body start shaking once she saw how _many _of them there were. She quickly counted six, then adding in the other three behind her and…

'_Oh god.'_

There was no way she would be able to get away from nine of them.

As the group approached her they noticed the panicked, almost crazed look in her eyes.

With one last surge of energy Umeko jumped up and made a dash for a gap between two. But just like her last attempt, she felt arms wrapped around her middle and lift her slightly off the ground.

"No! Let me go! Please I swear I didn't mean to cause trouble just please let me go!"

All the members of HOMRA stopped in surprise at the terrified tone of her voice and looked at the struggling girl in Kamamoto's arms. She looked almost psychotic with fear, like some cornered animal ready to fend for its life.

Edging closer, Tatara slowly lifted a hand to reach for her, "Hey, we're not going to-"

Her eyes widen at his hand and she started to struggle with a new energy as her lips parted, "Please stop! Stop! Don't hurt me I'm so sorry! Please!"

Tatara stilled at her words. She sounded like she was begging for her life.

After a few more minutes of her crying pleas, she stilled and turned limp, shaking uncontrollably in Kamamoto's arms, the occasional whimper slipping out.

"Please don't kill me," she whispered, voice sounding broken and defeated.

Shock slammed into all of them like lightening as the weight of her request sunk in.

"You think we're going to kill you?" Izumo asked, stepping slowly into her line of vision.

She didn't say anything.

"We won't kill you. We don't want to hurt you either," Izumo said quietly.

The shaking seemed to lessen slightly and slowly, tentatively, she lifted her head to look at the group around her. The peach colored skin of her face was covered with bruises and her eyes were wide but broken looking.

"You're lying."

It was so quiet that only Izumo, Tatara, and Kamamoto were able to hear her.

Giving a small chuckle Izumo easily replied, "Are you saying I'm not a man of my word?"

Jumping, the panicked look returned and she shook her head violently from side to side.

"NO! No! I didn't mean to insult you! I'm sorry!"

"Ah I was only kidding!"

Her delicate brows furrowed down in confusion and Tatara jumped at the gap in her panic to ask, "Ne why don't we go back inside? It's better than standing in the street."

Much to his dismay the shaking started again but unlike before she stayed silent. He honestly wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad one.

Kamamoto lowered her slowly to the ground next to him but still kept a firm arm wrapped around her midriff. He felt her twitch slightly and, thinking it was her trying to run again, quickly tightened the arm he had around her. Through the baggy shirt she was wearing he could count her ribs.

Umeko kept her head down and her eyes on the shoes of the guy ahead of her.

"Watch your step," she heard the man leading her say and she nodded, walking carefully up the steps and back into the bar.

She was guided to the couch again and shook as all the men made a semicircle around her.

'_Oh god. Oh god, oh god, oh god,'_ they were going to kill her, or torture her, or both for all she knew.

"Why don't we start with a name?"

It was the blond one talking again; he seemed to be the easiest talker out of all of them.

The members all watched as she brought her knees up and hugged them, burying her face in between her knees.

"Oh come on it's just a name," Yata said.

The girl jumped at his statement as fresh tremors racked her body. Yata shrunk back as glares were shot his way.

"-ko"

All the heads whipped back to the shaking girl, who still had her head hidden.

"Sorry, but could you say that again please?" Tatara asked, kneeling down in front of the couch.

Her head rose slightly as she repeated, "Umeko."

"Umeko? That's a pretty name," Tatara smiled. "I'm Totsuka Tatara. I apologize for jumping to such an unpleasant subject, but could you maybe tell us what happened last night? We're still a bit confused."

At the mention of the previous night's events, Umeko froze before springing up. The mad look had returned to her eyes as she whipped her head around, seemingly looking for an escape route.

"Oh no. Oh god no he'll kill me. I have to leave!" she made a move for the door but Tatara grabbed her before she could make it very far.

"No! No! No! I have to leave! He'll be waiting! He's going to _kill me!_"

"Umeko-san, whoever that man was he won't be able to hurt you again for a very long time."

Umeko turned her frenzied gaze to Izumo, "What do you mean?"

"We took him to the police, he's being charged with assault but from what you're saying attempted murder might be the correct charge am I right?" he said back.

The panic in her large eyes was clear as day, "Why would you do that?"

Izumo raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Because last night-"

"No! No I have to go get him! If I get him released he might not kill me but oh god he'll get out and he'll kill me if I don't go get him!"

Starting up her struggle again, Tatara was surprised when he realized it wasn't really that hard to hold her back. Lifting her slightly to try and make the kicking stop he was shocked by how easy it was to lift her; she had to be well under 90 pounds.

"Umeko-san who was that man?" Tatara asked her.

Umeko stopped kicked for a moment, but only for a moment, before she started twisting again.

"Oi."

Everyone froze at the deep voice that suddenly entered the conversation. Umeko turned to the bar and saw the red haired man lounging on one of the bar stools, cigarette now held loosely between two fingers, "He asked a question."

Now Umeko wasn't stupid, she recognized the power in this man the moment she saw him, and frankly it scared her. Which is how she knew that somehow or another she was going to have to answer the question. But instinct made her mouth stay clamped shut and she looked away.

Seeing that she was settling down, Tatara placed her back on the couch. He grimaced when he saw a dark stain start to bleed through the bandage on her head and looked back at her face with concern. Her eyes, a pretty cinnamon color, skittered nervously around the room but refused to make eye contact with anyone.

"Umeko-san, could I change your bandages please? The cut on your head in bleeding again."

She seemed surprised by his words, and lifted a hand to poke lightly at the white wrap, pausing on the patch of sticky liquid that had seeped through already. She brought her hand back around and starred at the red liquid coating it with an oddly detached look in her eyes.

"It's fine," she said, confusion lacing her voice and face as she looked at him. Immediately though her eyes darted back down and she brought the bloody hand to her chest, cradling it there.

"Why would you say it's fine if it's bleeding?" Tatara kneeled down again till he was eye level, but she just seemed to shrink in on herself more.

"I can still see straight. If I can see then it's not bleeding that b-bad," her eyes made contact with his for the briefest of seconds before she turned away, shaking lightly again.

Tatara wondered how many times she must have been hurt to the point of bleeding to believe that if she wasn't about to lose consciousness then she wasn't seriously injured. He reached a hand out to touch her head but she scooted away, looking terrified at the appendage.

"Umeko-san," he tried reaching for her again, "just because an injury isn't fatal doesn't mean it doesn't need to be properly looked after," she moved away again. He sighed and stood, backing away from the couch and the frightened girl on it.

The clicking of mary janes against the floor brought the frustrated blonde's attention away from the quivering girl and to the small strain approaching them. She held up a marble and peered at the girl, "Scared."

"Yes I think we know that much," Chitose muttered, and Dewa hit him over the back of the head. "Quit mouthing off to Anna!"

"To many people. She's not used to a lot of people."

This made everyone pause, and the girl's shaking seemed to get worse.

"Everyone out," Izumo commanded, and with the exception of a few resisters (Yata) everyone cleared out of the bar except for Izumo, Tatara, Anna and Mikoto.

Slowly, the small girl stopped shaking and sighed deeply. The claustrophobic feeling of being surrounded by so many people finally began to ebb away and she gasped for air gratefully. Tatara used this opportunity to kneel in front of her again, slowly reaching for her head. When his fingers brushed the smooth bandages, he was happily surprised when she didn't move away.

"Izumo, could you please get the first aid kit?" he hummed, not looking away from the girl. Izumo went behind the bar and shifted through some shelves until he found the white box. He walked it back to the table, where Tatara was piling the bloody bandages he was gradually removing.

"Well Umeko-san, I don't think that you need to get stiches," he inspected the deep gash, "Which is good because none of us here are any good at sewing."

He laughed at his own joke, and grinned when he saw the corner of her mouth twitch up as well.

"Okay, lets get the new bandages on and get some food in you, hm?"

She didn't move as he wrapped her head, and when he stood she brought a shaky hand to her head as she traced the material.

"Thank you," it was so small, so quiet, that for a second he wasn't sure if she'd even said it; but the light blush on her cheeks was proof enough, and he smiled gently, "You're more than welcome."


	2. Chapter 2

**So I have ideas to run by. I have a lot of clips of future scenes in the story that I've already written, would people like it if I posted them? Maybe in between full chapters I can post short mini chapters? I don't know just an idea I had. Anyway, thank you to those who reviewed! I would love to see more people leave reviews though…if anyone has questions they wanna ask leave them in your reviews and I'll happily answer them at the beginning of the chapter. So with that, chapter 2 everyone!**

When everyone was finally allowed back into the bar, the new girl had been moved to the bar. Anna was on the stool next to her and Tatara on her other, except he allowed one empty space between them. She peered at them cautiously as they filtered in through the door and spread out across the room.

She jumped when Tatara suddenly piped up, "I vote we get take out!"

There was a chorus of agreement through the room, and Umeko watched them carefully from her perch.

"What do you like to eat Umeko-chan?"

She jumped, peering at Tatara from over her knees. When had he changed the honorific on her name?

"I'm not picky."

He smiled at her quiet answer, waving to the boys to pick whatever they wanted. There was a chorus of cheers as a small group left to go find something and the remaining boys all went to play some kind of video game on the large T.V. in the corner. It all felt relaxed, natural, and Umeko felt some of the tension leave her shoulders as she immersed herself in the warm hum. They stayed like this for a while before Tatara finally broke, "Do you like it here Umeko-chan?"

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She was still uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings, but the constant loud chatter was starting to unnerve her less and less with each minute that ticked by.

"It's better than where I was before," she whispered, laying her cheek on her knees as she looked out the window. Tatara watched sadly as she seemed to sink back into her memories and a tremor shook her frame.

"Hey, don't leave too soon," he admonished, knocking her lightly on the forehead with his knuckles. She started, looking at him with wide eyes. But he just smiled, and slowly she loosened up again.

"Would you like to wash up while we wait for the boys to get back?" he asked, and for the first time Umeko took inventory of herself. She had dried blood sticking to her in more places than she'd like to say, and she knew there was dirt all over her from running through the alleys last night, not to mention the sweat that had dried and made her clothes stick awkwardly to her skin. Her hair in particular she knew was a few shades darker than it normally was from a combination of blood and sweat. She blushed as she realized how disgusting she must look at the moment, worried she might have offended them.

Tatara could see the panic enter her eyes and he jumped to correct himself, "Only because it looks like it must be uncomfortable for you!"

She forced herself not to shake and starred down at the floor. Finally, she nodded cautiously and Tatara sighed in relief. He leaned back so he could see Mikoto over her and asked, "King? Do you think she could use your shower?"

Umeko panicked when she heard his question and went to tell him it was fine and that she didn't have to use _their king's_ bathroom but was cut off when the red head shrugged.

Tatara clapped his hands together and rose from his seat, offering his hand to the frozen girl as he moved to stand in front of her. She reached out and her bony fingers gripped his lightly as she clambered down, but pulled them back quickly once she was standing, refusing to look him in the eye. He nudged her towards the staircase, and everyone watched as the pair disappeared up the steps and into the bedroom.

"She's confused," Anna looked at the door blankly as Izumo starred at her, confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"She's never trusted someone before. She doesn't understand what we're doing," she starred down into her glass, the red juice showing murkily in her colorblind eyes. She looked at her reflection in the liquid before looking again at the bedroom door.

Umeko stood hunched by the door as Tatara waltzed over to a dresser in the corner, rifling around in one of the drawers until he came back with a t-shirt, a towel, and a pair of sweatpants. As he searched, he babbled on about some of the members downstairs.

"The one with the sunglasses is Kusanagi Izumo, and King is Suoh Mikoto. The one with the beanie is Yata Misaki, and-"

Umeko drifted slightly as he continued to drone on, feeling the exhaustion of the day finally start to catch up with her. She snapped back to attention though when she heard him start to come towards her again.

"Here, will these work?" he muttered, hold the shirt up to her frame. It would be huge on her, probably stopping somewhere around her knees. He glanced at the sweatpants he was holding, then at her tiny hips, and knew right away there was no way they'd stay up. He sighed, wondering if any of the boys had brought any spare pants with them. Maybe he could ask Eric, the boy was skinny as anything.

"Sorry Umeko-chan, but I don't think King's pants will fit. The shirt should be long though," he went to hand it to her, but she jumped back.

"I-I can't t-take p-people's things!" she managed to stutter as she looked at the shirt in horror. Tatara stepped forward and crouched till he was eye level with her, forcing her eyes to meet his.

"You have to believe me when I say we want to help you. We mean it when we say we won't hurt you."

Her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as she shook lightly.

"B-But why? Why do you want to help me? I'm worthless…"

He grabbed her chin and leaning in till their noses practically touched, forcing her to hold in a yelp.

"You're not worthless, and whoever said that is a liar. No one is worthless."

His eyes softened again and he pushed the shirt and the towel into her arms.

"Now go get cleaned up, the boys will be back soon and I can imagine you must be hungry."

Her mouth flapped open like a fish as Tatara stood to his full height and left the room with a wave over his shoulder. She stood there in the unfamiliar room, gripping the shirt to her chest as she tried to control her breathing. Her mind wanted to relax and let these strangers in, take their words as true, but her conscious screamed at her not to believe them, that time had proven again and again that people never truly wanted to help.

She whimpered as a tear slipped out, and she brushed it away roughly as she moved into the bathroom. It was small and clean and she put the shirt next to the towel on the counter as she ambled over to the shower. She had never actually used one before, since she had always been forced to use the hose in the backyard up till now.

She grabbed the shiny handle and twisted it, yelping in surprise when water came out of a nozzle above her. She starred at it curiously for a minute before sticking her hand in the spray. It was freezing but she was used to it from all the nights in the middle of winter sitting in the backyard scrubbing blood off of herself. She made sure the door was locked before she slowly took off her cloths, folding them neatly and putting them on the floor in the corner. She took off the bandages as well, piling them next to the shirt.

She stepped into the water and shivered at the freezing temperature, but quickly adjusted and reached for the bar of soap on the shelf. She scrubbed at her skin till it was raw before placing it back, watching as the blood and dirt swirled in the water, washing down the drain. She grabbed the shampoo, putting only a small amount in her hand before beginning the process of scrubbing her hair clean. It took three washes to get all the dirt and blood out, but she still felt like she was dirty as she stepped out.

She was shivering as she pulled her hair back and looked in the mirror. Her face was covered in bruises, but that was normal. She flinched as she looked at her shoulders and the way the bone jutted out violently, and then trailed her eyes down to her ribs, counting each one. She watched in wonder as with each breath, the skin didn't somehow tear open over the gagged bones, stretching white then back to the normal color when she exhaled. She began to run her fingers through her long hair, untangling the long tresses the best she could before giving up with a sigh.

She picked her undergarments up from where she'd placed them and grabbed the t-shirt, slipping it over her head. She laughed to herself as it fell to her kneecaps, more of a dress than a shirt. She frowned though when she realized her knobby knees were peeking out, and her too thin calves were openly visible. Gulping, she crushed her cloths to her chest as she walked out of the bathroom.

When she poked her head out into the hallway, her nose was assaulted by the delicious smell of hot food and her mouth watered just thinking about it. She shuffled out onto the landing, peeping over the railing at the rowdy bunch of boys. Everyone was spread out with plates heaping over with food and Umeko bit the inside of her cheek as her stomach constricted painfully.

Everyone stopped talking when they heard the patter of small feet come down the stairs. The girl ducked her head, clutching the cloths in her arms even tighter. Tatara was the first to break the silence as he patted the chair next to him, "Well come on Umeko-chan, lets get you a plate!"

She shuffled over, and they all became acutely aware of how boney her knees were and how thin her ankles looked. She pulled herself onto a stool, placing the folded cloths next to her. Tatara stood, walking to the cartons of food and dishing out a small amount of everything before returning and placing it in front of her.

"Here you are!"

She stared at the food with wide eyes; beginning to shift uncomfortably the longer she looked at it. Tatara misinterpreted it as her not liking the quiet, and he shooed everyone back into conversation before looking back at the girl. She had picked up her chopsticks tentatively, picking up a small piece of vegetable and nibbling gingerly on it.

Tatara forced himself to stop starring at her and focused back on the conversations taking place around him. Every few minutes though he'd realize he was glancing back at her, or more specifically at the two small pieces of food she had eaten. When she put the chopsticks back down after eating another half of a piece, he couldn't hold his tongue any longer, "Aren't you hungry Umeko-chan?"

She ducked her head as the noise level dropped to a hum, everyone trying to hear her while not making it obvious they were listening.

"I'm full, thank you."

Izumo frowned, looking at her barely touched plate, "You didn't eat much. Are you sure?"

She nodded hastily, wrapping her arms around herself and for the first time they noticed how she was subtly shaking. Tatara reached forward to feel her forehead and gasped when he felt how icy cold her skin was.

"Umeko-chan! Did you shower with the cold water on?!"

He started to fuss around her, conflicted between giving her the space he knew she preferred and wanting to hug her to help warm her up. He paused though when he heard her whisper,

"It can be warm?"

He looked at her as if she'd grown a second head before crouching down in front of her slowly. Large cinnamon eyes blinked back at him as he asked,

"Umeko-chan, having you ever taken a shower before?"

She shut her eyes and bit her lip, starring down into her lap, "I was only allowed to use the hose in the backyard before. It didn't have hot water."

A chill settled over the room as the small girl fidgeted in her seat, finally wrapping her arms around herself as the shaking increased. Suddenly, a heavy but warm weight dropped onto her shoulders, and she clung to it before it could slide off. She opened her eyes and realized she was gripping a black leather jacket, and she almost fell out of her chair as she spun to look at the Red King.

"Let someone show you how to use it tomorrow," he tossed over his shoulder as he went to the side door and disappeared into the alley.

Despite her brain telling her it was never a good idea to accept things from others, she slipped her arms into the coat and tugged in around her frame. It was still warm from his body heat and the smell of cigarette smoke clung to it. Still, Umeko felt herself relax as her body began to warm itself, snuggling even further into the jacket. Everyone was quiet for a while until Kamamoto made the effort to start the conversation again and eventually everyone else joined in, the room returning to the loud chatter it had had before.

"He likes you."

Umeko blinked her eyes open to cock her head at the young blond. As she gazed at him Tatara couldn't help but think that once the bruises and the swelling faded she would be quite beautiful.

"King, he likes you," he watched as her eyes widened and she turned to look at the door confusedly.

"But why?" she whispered, so quiet that only he could hear.

"Because he sees something worth while in you."

She didn't seem to hear him, but Tatara still smiled sadly at her back.

"Hey Totsuka-san!"

His eyes tore away from her to look at Yata who was waving him over, "You like cooking right?"

Tatara felt himself brighten as he slide off his seat and walked to the group, "Well now that you mention it, I have been experimenting with it lately."

Umeko watched as the gang interacted, fascinated by the close bond they all seemed to share. It was all so foreign to her, and just watching them filled her with a new warmth but also overwhelming loneliness. She would never be able have that kind of connection with others.

She felt herself start to drift off as time dragged on, and she snapped herself awake just as 11 came. She went unnoticed as she slipped from her seat and scurried to the side door, still gripping the jacket to her as she slipped outside. It took her eyes a moment to adjust, and when they did she finally locked onto the tall red head a few feet to her right, a collection of cigarette buds littered around him.

Mikoto raised an eyebrow as the small girl shuffled over, keeping his face impassive she as bowed.

"T-Thank you for lending me y-your coat. I'll p-p-put it back in your room with the s-shirt once I change."

He finally turned to look at her fully as he took another drag from the cigarette, "Where do you plan to go?"

She jumped, standing fully and shaking lightly as she looked away, "I'm not sure."

It was easy for him to see her, curled up in an alley somewhere. He doubted she'd make it very long wherever it was she ended up.

"No one's sleeping on the couch."

Umeko whipped her head to look at him and he dropped the cigarette, grinding the bud out with the toe of his boot as he walked past her to the door.

"B-But you've all already done so much, I couldn't possibly-"

She broke off from her rant as he cast a look over his shoulder at her before disappearing inside. She stayed standing in the alley as she looked up at the sky. It was too cloudy for any stars to be out, but she wondered if the moon would come out later anyway. She sighed, bracing herself as she pulled open the heavy door. Again, no one noticed as she slipped back inside and she went back to her old spot at the bar silently.

Izumo watched as she heaved her frail body up in the reflection of his glass, a small smile surfacing, as she seemed to start drifting off again a few minutes later. He looked at Mikoto leaned back against the bar in front of him, but his eyes were closed as his head tipped back.

Eventually everyone began to filter out, and as Izumo locked the liquor cabinet, he forced himself not to stare as his king picked up the sleeping girl and moved her to the couch.

'_What do you think Mikoto?'_ he thought to himself as he walked out onto the street, humming quietly to himself as he headed home.

* * *

Mikoto snapped out of the light sleep he'd been in when he heard a scream. Sitting up, he listened to the sound of someone moving around downstairs before he heard the front door open. Standing, he moved to the window, pushing it up as he watched Umeko stumbled to her knees in the street.

'_Just breath, just breath,'_ she repeated to herself as she heaved air into her lungs. She shook with the force of the nightmare, curling her hands into fists on the asphalt. She clenched her eyes shut as another image surfaced in her mind and felt a wave of nausea hit it. She gagged, forced herself to swallow back the bile rising in her throat.

"Oi."

Her head snapped up and she looked up at the building she'd just rushed out of to see Suoh Mikoto leaning against the frame of a window, starring down at her blankly. She felt her whole face flush with guilt as she looked back at the ground, "I'm sorry for waking you."

She heard him sigh, and the window shut. She shook as she imagined how furious he must be with her; he probably wouldn't let her back inside. Which is why she yelped when she felt a hand circle her arm and pull her up. Mikoto raised an eyebrow at her panicked face and let go of her thin arm, allowing her to stumble back a few feet.

"I-I d-d-d-didn't m-mean t-to wake y-you!"

He watched as she shook violently, eyes telling him that this was the point where she would usually be punished and that she expected such now. He stayed still, giving her time to stop trembling and let the fear pass. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a carton on cigarettes and shaking one out, lighting it with a snap of his fingers. Umeko watched in astonishment as he made the flame and had a sudden memory of hearing about a clan that could control fire. She had always assumed that it was nothing more than an urban legend, but clearly that belief had been wrong. Suddenly it made sense why everyone seemed to regard him with such respect and Totsuka's habit of addressing him as 'King' seemed a lot less strange.

"Wanna walk?"

She jumped, snapped back to the present to look at the man standing casually in front of her. While the thought of going back into the building made her feel claustrophobic, she didn't want to push her luck.

"I don't want to trouble you-"

"I asked didn't I?"

She stopped, regarding him fearfully as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Deciding for her, he brushed past her, starting slowly down the sidewalk. She took a moment to compose herself, but raced off after him. She slowed a few steps behind him, knowing better than to walk by his side. She was never going to be worthy of that.

Her attention was soon diverted though by the bright flashes of neon signs in the empty streets and she slowed even more to read some of the more colorful ones. Mikoto stopped at the end of the block to let her catch up, letting her take her time to look around. The light reflected in her eyes and a small smile started to form on her battered face as she absorbed her surroundings.

"I never noticed how pretty it was," she mumbled as she ambled up to him. He doubted she even noticed how close she was standing to him, but he kept quiet about it. She tipped her head back to look up at a blue sign above them, and he felt her hair brush his hand. Looking down at her, he noticed for the first time the soft caramel color it was.

"Weren't allowed out much?"

Umeko froze, knowing the connotation of his question and immediately feeling uncomfortable about it. She glanced at him quickly but looked back at the ground as soon as she saw his eyes. They were blank, and it made her uncomfortable not knowing what he was thinking.

"No."

"Gonna say who that was?"

She didn't say anything and Mikoto started walking again, slightly annoyed by her refusal to speak. He could feel her trailing along behind him, and he realized by the almost silent sound of her footsteps that she was barefoot. He frowned, but didn't say anything about that either.

"It was my father."

He stopped, turning his head to look at her over his shoulder. She was standing under a red sign, the glow casting her in a murky light that shone against her pale skin. She had her arms wrapped around herself, his coat reaching down below the shirt to cover her knees. She really was tiny.

"That man was my father."

She looked shakily at the sign above her, swallowing thickly. She had never told anyone before, sure some had found out, but she had never openly admitted it. It felt odd to let the words roll off her tongue after years of silence, and a heavy weight seemed to lift off of her chest as she exhaled a breath she'd been holding for 20 years.

Mikoto didn't say anything, just turned back straight and started walking again. He had to strain to hear her steps start up again behind him, but they were there, quiet and steady.


	3. Extension 1

**So first little extension clip. They're not gonna be long just a few hundred words- I don't wanna give anything away ;). I can say two things about this clip though. Firstly, this will be happening very soon, as in the next chapter or two. Also, something _very_ special will happen at the end of this scene. So yes, I now give you all full permission to bite your nails in anticipation. Haha, I'm just kidding, I love all of you too much to be that mean! I have the next chapter ready so I'll give you a little while to read and review this then I'll post. Enjoy!**

Umeko woke up to the smell of something burning. She shot up and looked around wildly, thinking for a second she was back with her dad and he had passed out with the toaster on again. But she wasn't in that house; no, she was in the HOMRA bar, and something smelled like it was on fire.

She didn't see anything from her position on the couch and she stiffened as she turned towards the staircase. Quickly getting up, she padded to the bottom of the stairs and cringed when the smell got stronger.

'_Oh shit,'_ she raced up the stairs but paused when her hand grabbed the handle. She had never been in the king's room before without permission, and even then she was just passing through to use the shower in the bathroom. Biting her lip, she knocked, lightly at first but then progressively harder when she got no response and the smell got stronger.

Ignoring the way that every cell in her body was screaming at her to go back downstairs, she pushed open the door. It only took her a second to realize what had been burning.

Mikoto's lower arm was completely engulfed in flames, and it was starting to brush against the side of the bed he was passed out on.


	4. Chapter 3

"Umeko-chan, what do you say we go out and get you some new clothes today?"

Umeko looked up from the plate of eggs she'd been picking at and looked at Tatara in confusion, "But I don't have any money with me."

"That's fine, we'll all chip in and help."

Her eyes widen in horror, and Izumo almost found it comical as she whipped her head back and forth, long hair flying out around her.

"I can't take your money!"

Tatara raised a brow and smiled at her, "It's not taking if we're giving."

"N-No I want to pay!"

"I thought you said you didn't have any money?"

"I-I do just not here…"

She trailed off, hanging her head down. Tatara looked at her in pity and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She jumped but didn't jerk away, much to his surprise.

"Would you like to get your money?"

She nodded, biting her lip till it turned white as she fiddled with her hands. Tatara sighed, leaning back up straight. The bar was still mostly empty with the exception of Izumo, Mikoto, Anna and himself as it was still too early for most of the others to be up.

"Well it's settled then, lets finish and we can all go with you!"

She choked on her own spit at his words, this time making Izumo chuckled lightly, "Sorry Tatara, but I think I'll sit this trip out."

Tatara frowned at him, but turned to Anna eagerly, "Anna you'll come right? Umeko-chan could use another girl's opinion I bet!"

The small girl nodded, peaking over at her king, "Mikoto?"

He sleepily opened his eyes, looking at the little girl in tired disinterest. His eyes wondered to the woman starring determinedly down at her plate before giving a shrug.

"Excellent!" Tatara clapped, bring everyone's attention back to him, "We'll leave as soon as everyone's ready."

A half hour later the group set out, walking into the bright sunshine.

"Which way do we have to go?" Tatara asked Umeko. She had changed back into the baggy rags she had arrived in, and when she lifted her arm to point left, the material slipped back to her elbow, revealing her skeleton like arms. Tatara frowned at the sight, making a note to himself to make sure she ate more at each meal from now on.

As they walked, it became obvious they were heading into a poorer part of the city. The buildings all seemed to be falling apart, and the sidewalk became more uneven. Umeko shuffled along with her head down, following an obviously well known path through the streets till she came to stop in front of a white house. The paint was chipping off, but the structure seemed to be in better condition than many of the other houses around it.

"Anna should stay outside."

Her voice was quiet, but her body shook lightly as she gazed at the house. Realizing that whatever was inside was going to be distinctly unpleasant, Tatara grabbed onto Anna's hand that wasn't holding Mikoto's jacket and pulled her over.

"King will go with you, me and Anna will wait out here."

She nodded, looking timidly at the red head. He dropped his cigarette and stomped it out with his boot, stepping up next to her.

"Lets go."

She jumped at his tone, scampering after him as he started down the walk. She reached for the nob and twisted, allowing the door to open a crack before she stopped. Peak back, Mikoto could see shame swimming in them, as they seemed to convey a silent apology to him.

As soon as the door opened, he could hear the sound of bottles clinking together. She disappeared inside, and he followed her into the dark house. His feet touched carpet, and he looked down at the dirty flooring. Underneath the bottles he could see stains, ranging in size, all across it. He stiffened when he realized that most were dried blood.

"This way."

He looked back at the girl walking ahead of him and grunted, following her as she walked through the living room and into a hallway. He could see the door to the kitchen right in front of him, and also a few more closed doors further down the hall. They stopped in front of a staircase, and she began to shake as she took the first few steps up. The upstairs hall was much the same as the one downstairs, narrow with a few closed doors on each side. What jumped out at him though was a large hole in the wall.

He felt uneasy dread start to trickle into him as Umeko stopped in front of it. He couldn't help but notice how it was just about her size.

"D-Do you have a lighter?"

He reached into his pocket and dropped the metal light into her hand, and she took a deep breath before disappearing inside. Umeko shuddered as she stepped inside the all too familiar walls. She forced her hand to stop shaking in fear of the light catching one of the wooden support beams. She had never actually come in here before with a light and she gagged at the sheer amount of blood that coated the walls. He body started to ache as she began to remember each time she'd dragged herself into this hole after a beating, out of her father's drunken grasp until she was strong enough to move again. She swallowed as she remembered the particular incident that had made this hole, her hand starting to shake again.

She stumbled further in, stopping when she reached the corner furthest away from the entrance. She reached up onto the low hanging beam and felt around until her hand touched plastic. Grasping the ziploc, she pulled it down, a cloud of dust following. She coughed, walking blurrily back to the hole and letting the lighter go out as she grabbed onto the frame and pulled herself out. She tripped as she swung her back leg out, and felt a strong pair of arms catch her before she could fall.

Mikoto helped steady her before stepping back to give the shaken girl room. She breathed deeply a few times before giving him a shaky look. She reached out her hand, and he took the lighter she dropped into his palm. His eyes were drawn to the sound of plastic and he looked at her hands to see a large bag filled with money.

"It was my mother's goodbye present to me when she left when I was four."

He looked to regard her face closely, but it was oddly blank as she starred at the few thousand yen solemnly, "I guess I've just been saving it."

Mikoto didn't say anything as she started to walk back downstairs and out of the blood stained house. She breathed deeply as they got outside, and he looked to see Tatara and Anna standing where they'd left them in the driveway.

"Did you find it?" he asked.

Umeko nodded timidly, clutching the plastic bag tightly. He looked between her shaking body and Mikoto's distant look and slightly clenched jaw and jumped to move past the situation, "Well then lets-"

"Umeko-chan!"

They all turned and watched, as the oldest female of their group seemed to brighten at the voice.

"Miura-obaa-chan!"

She dashed away from them, off to the house next door where an elderly woman was hobbling down her steps. Umeko reached her just as she was putting a foot down on the ground and grabbed her elbow, helping her the rest of the way.

"Thank you dear," the older woman smiled at the young girl. She frowned though at the bruises, reaching a hand up to cup her cheek gently.

"Oh dear," she trailed off, and Umeko reached her own hand up to cover the woman's.

"They're a few days old."

Miura nodded shakily, still looking incredibly sad.

"Where is your…?"

"Jail."

Her eyes grew wide in shock, old face twisted with amazement, "But I thought…"

"I didn't do it-"

"We did."

Both looked at the trio crossing the grass, and Umeko regarded Mikoto with surprised eyes. She looked panicked back at Totsuka, hoping he hadn't figured out the implication of the king's words. She turned when she felt Miura remove her hand, immediately moving to help support her as she took steps towards them.

Miura gave the young woman a smile, and then looked at the unusual group in front of her, "Well then I must thank you for that. I'm Miura Shizuka."

Tatara stepped in, introducing himself as well as Anna and Mikoto.

"If you're still with her, is it safe for me to assume that you'll be looking out for her now? She's a very lively one once she opens up you know, always curious and getting herself into trouble-"

"Obaa-chan!"

Miura laughed, smiling at the horrified look Umeko was giving her, "Oh don't pout child, it's unbecoming of a pretty young girl like you."

Umeko ducked her face, and the HOMRA members watched the interaction with interest; it was the most open and relaxed they had yet to see Umeko be. It was as if her whole body had brightened, and the gentle gaze she held when she looked at the elder woman surprised them.

"Yes we've offered her a place to stay for as long as she likes. We're actually heading to get her some new cloths now," Tatara couldn't help the warm feeling he got when the older woman smiled at him, and suddenly it made sense why Umeko seemed so fond of her.

"That's a lovely idea I think, thank you so much. You can finally get out of these rags Ko, that'll be nice won't it?"

"H-Hai obaa-chan."

"Ko?"

"Why yes! She's always been little Ko-chan for as long as I've kno-"

"Obaa-chan!"

"Oh stop being so sensitive!"

Tatara laughed, and out of the corner of his eye he could see Mikoto's lip twitch up.

"Well, don't let me hold you up! Unlike me you have places to go!"

"What are you doing today Miura-obaa-chan?"

"Oh I think I'm just going to go to the library."

Umeko nodded, but didn't remove her hands from her elder's frame.

"Ko darling, I won't blow away. Go shopping, lord knows you need some new cloths!"

Umeko seemed torn for a second, but a hand on her shoulder made her jump, unfreezing her body.

"Come on Umeko-chan, lets get going before the shops get to crowded."

She blinked at Tatara, and slowly removed her hands from Shizuka. She leaned in, giving her a small kiss on the cheek before stepping back towards the group. As they left down the street, Miura couldn't help but sigh happily when she saw the way the small girl seemed to blend in with the group of strangers who had taken her in. With a warm feeling in her heart, she turned the opposite direction and began her walk.

"What kinds of cloths do you like to wear Umeko-chan?"

They strolled down the streets of the shopping district slowly, stopping in front of some of the windows to look in.

"I've never been able to pick before."

Tatara tried to make sure the sadness he felt didn't show on his face as he watched Umeko shuffle timidly along with them.

"So maybe lets start with some basics?"

She nodded, and he pulled the group into the next department store they went by.

"I think women's is this way," Tatara muttered as he started in a random direction. He felt a soft grip on his sleeve and looked back to see Umeko blushing to her roots, shuffling uncomfortably as she pointed in the opposite direction.

"Are you sure?"

She pointed to a sigh that said "Women's" with an arrow pointed the way her hand was raised. Tatara's mouth formed into an 'o', and he laughed.

"Ah just goes to show that you should never trust me with directions!"

He felt joy rush through him when a small smile crawled onto her face, and he grabbed Anna's hand as he pushed them in the correct direction. Mikoto followed after him with a mildly exasperated look on his face.

"Lets get shirts first!"

Umeko yelped when he grabbed her wrist and abruptly dragged her towards the shirts.

"T-Totsuka-san!"

"Oh just call me Tatara, Totsuka makes me feel old."

"But some of the others call you Totsuka-san."

He looked back at her furrowed brow as they stopped in front of a table covered in t-shirts, "Yes, and I've asked them not to. But you know those boys, stubborn as anything once they sent their mind on something."

Umeko watched him quietly as he hummed to himself, eyes scanning over the large selection. Her eyes were drawn to a dark green colored shirt, and a moment later a pale hand reached out, picking it up and dropping it into her surprised ones, "You like this one?"

Biting her lip, she nodded slowly, and Tatara smiled comfortingly at her, "Then get it!"

They continued on like this, Tatara pointed to certain colors, and her either nodding or shaking her head until she had a good-sized collect in her arms. From time to time, she'd crouch down and showed a chose to Anna, always some shade of red due to the colorblindness Tatara had mentioned she had, and the little girl would always point to the red one. They both left to find a basket as Umeko slipped into the undergarment section, blushing at just being in this part of the store.

She placed her choses under the shirts she was holding and turned to leave. She squeaked though when she bumped into something, stumbling back a step. She looked up and paled (then quickly reddened) when she saw Mikoto starring blankly down at her. She watched as he bent down, and felt like her head was going to explode when he came up swing a pair of grey panties on his pointer finger.

Mikoto couldn't help but feel amused at the horrified look on her face, and smirked when she grabbed the underwear from him and took off past him. He twisted back and saw her skid to a stop in front of Tatara, dumping the cloths into the basket he held and ripping it out of his grip, clutching it closely to her chest. He looked confused, shooting a look over at him but becoming even more confused at the very amused look on his king's face.

"O-Over here now!" Umeko squeaked out, taking Anna's hand and walking quickly to a different section.

"What happened?" Tatara asked as Mikoto walked past him, falling in step with the red head.

"She just dropped something."

Tatara stopped, looking between Mikoto and where he'd been standing, understanding finally clicking and he laughed loudly, jogging to keep up. Umeko was looking at a table of jeans, hands hovering between two sizes.

"You'll probably be a smaller size Umeko-chan," Tatara grabbed the smallest size on the table, dropping it and another pair in a different shade into the plastic basket. Umeko looked at the two pairs of pants blankly, eventually nodding slowly. She dropped a lighter colored pair in when a different pair dropped on her hand. She looked at the slightly bigger size, and then at the red head starring blankly at the pants in her hands, "You need to gain weight."

Umeko felt herself blush, but didn't object to what he said. Tatara watched them quietly, regarding Mikoto with interest. He'd have to watch them more carefully from now on.

They paid, and began the trek back to HOMRA.

"Did you have fun Umeko-chan?"

She nodded, not looking up at Tatara's question.

"Well good then."

The rest of the walk was spent in a comfortable silence, and as they neared their destination they could hear the loud shouts of the red clansmen from half a block away.

"Oh dear, I wonder what it is now," Tatara muttered as he pushed open the door.

Umeko shrunk back behind him as they stepped in, and flinched when everyone looked at them.

"Oh you're back! How did the shopping go?" Izumo asked cheerily, ignoring the awkward tension.

"Oh it went very well! Wouldn't you say Ko-chan?"

Umeko blushed to her roots at the nickname but nodded back. Her eyes dropped to the floor and the toe of her shoe poked at the wooden board with interest.

"Well that's good. Do you want to go change then?" Izumo cocked his head slightly, smiling as she clutched the bag higher and scurried into the bathroom. Tatara sighed happily and sat down on one of the stools.

"I think she'll fit in just fine soon," He hummed, smiling down at Anna as she pulled herself up onto the chair next to him. "You like her right Anna?"

The quiet girl looked at the bathroom door for a moment before nodding slowly, folding her hands neatly in her lap. The door clicked open and Umeko shut it quietly behind her. She blushed when she saw everyone looking at her and offered a shy smile back.

The difference that a clean set of cloths had made was incredible, and if it weren't for the bruises and the unhealthy skinniness, she could have passed as normal. She shuffled to the bar, sitting down and looking at her lap.

"You look very nice Ko-chan," Tatara smiled at her, and she smiled back somewhat hesitantly.

"Thank you."

How did this happen again? Umeko risked a quick glance at the silent red head out of the corner of her eye as they made their way down the dark sidewalk. It had rained for a few hours late in the afternoon and the wet pavement was cold on her bare feet. Her eyes caught a bright purple sign across the street when she found her mouth opening on its own, "I'm sorry for waking you again."

She stiffened in surprise, of both her voice and how steady it had sounded. She looked at him fully, but he only glance at her briefly and shrugged, "I wasn't sleeping anyway."

She forced herself to stare at her feet, and not at the man she couldn't seem to make herself stop looking at, because it was just plain rude to stare. Her body betrayed her though when she heard a clicking noise. It was a lighter, and she couldn't stop the small laugh from coming out. She blushed when he looked at her and she looked at the ground again, "Y-You just don't actually need a lighter."

He didn't say anything, just tipped his head back and starred up at the dark sky as they crossed a small side street. She jumped over the puddle that had collected in the dip in front of the sidewalk, and he watched as her heel caught on the bottom of the sweat pants she was wearing. He had an arm wrapped around her waist before she had even fully comprehended she was falling.

"You're clumsy."

She blushed at his statement, pulling herself up quickly.

"Sorry."

Why did her voice always sound so confident around him; especially when her actions were always far from confidence boosting?

A loud growl filled the quiet space.

And of course it had to get worse. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and looked down, but Mikoto had still seen the bright red that had spread to the tips of her ears.

"S-Sorry!"

He sighed, grabbing her wrist and leading her down the street a block before crossing over to a small convenience store. He pushed the door open, stepping back so she could enter. He raised an eyebrow when she just stood there, eyes wide and chuckled at her expression, "You're hungry aren't you?"

He could practically see the light bulb going off above her head and her eyes gleamed in the harsh glow of the sign above the door. He almost didn't want to understand why his heart fluttered at the dazzling smile she gave him as she nodded and stepped inside.

**And so it begins ;). Next chapter will be a time skip but only a few weeks not a few years or anything. I really wanna start to get into the romance of it now. I kind of feel like these first three chapter were just laying the ground work more or less but now I can really start to include the story line I have planned out. Everyone review and I'll post faster! Can we try for ten- same as chapter 2? Love ya!**

**Gally**


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